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An article in the December issue of Inc. magazine says Bozeman is an ideal place to start a technology business.

“For a number of tech start-ups, it’s the Gallatin Valley – not the Silicon Valley – that offers the best environment for growth,” the article says.

Inc. cites Bozeman as home to businesses like online appointment booking platform Schedulicity, social-media e-learning platform Wisetail, CRM software provider RightNow Technologies, which Oracle recently acquired for $1.5 billion, and TechRanch, a group that helps start-ups get off the ground.

“(Bozeman is) a small town in southwestern Montana right in the mountains with fantastic schools and unbelievable opportunities for recreation, so we have people that come here from all over,” Schedulicity founder Jerry Nettuno says. “People come (here) generally to look for a better, simpler way of life.”

Schedulicity employs 19 people in Bozeman.

“People in Bozeman aren’t agitated and they aren’t in a hurry all the time,” Nettuno says. “So, finding support people that are happy and enjoy talking to customers is really easy.”

The Bozeman Creek Enhancement Committee is asking residents to take a survey and share their thoughts on plans to reroute Bozeman Creek through Bogert Park.

There are several alternatives. Bozeman Creek might make large bends through Bogert Park, split to form an island or stay the way it is.

Respondents can also comment on a proposal to build a creekside park behind the Eagles Lodge. Again, there are options.

View drawings of the various alternatives and submit your opinion through the city of Bozeman’s website, http://www.bozeman.net. There are several links to the information on the Parks and Recreation Department’s page.

A website dedicated to ranking the best places to live, work and play named Bozeman the third best city in the U.S. to live during the winter.

Livability.com listed the “Top 10 Winter Cities,” based on whether the cities had plenty of things to do and see during cold-weather months.

The list:

1. Anchorage, Ala.

2. Fargo, N.D.

3. Bozeman, Mont.

4. Logan, Utah

5. St. Cloud, Minn.

6. Saratoga Springs, NY

7. Bangor, Maine

8. Spokane, Wash.

9. Lebanon, Pa.

10. Gillette, Wyo.

Top 10 Winter Cities

Photo courtesy of Bridger Bowl

Bridger Bowl is a popular ski destination in Bozeman, MT.

Extreme temperatures are needed for the extreme winter sporting events that happen in Bozeman, MT. Beyond the recreational opportunities that Bozeman’s cold climate provides, the city got high marks for snow clearing.

“Bozeman is a winter city that makes a good effort to enhance winter living,” says Patrick Coleman, CEO of the Winter Cities Institute. “The public works department uses the ‘friendly snowplow.’ This device does much to minimize resident frustration resulting from large snow berms planted in cleared driveways by the plows. Bozeman is also concerned about maintaining bike routes and bike lanes in the winter.”

Bozeman averages more than 90 inches of snow each year, which means there’s plenty of the white stuff for snowboarding, snowmobiling, cross- country and Nordic skiing. And when the rest of the country is celebrating the arrival of spring, Bozeman area ski resorts are still packing powder. In March 2012, Bozeman and Montana State University will host the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Skiing Championships at the Bridger Bowl Ski Area. On the extreme side, there’s the Bozeman Ice Climbing Festival, held each December at Hyalite Canyon, the nation’s premier ice-climbing destination. A few dozen of the most influential climbers gather to lead three days of clinics for aspiring climbers from across the country.

A reporter from SmartPlanet.com, a CBS Interactive website, came to Bozeman and interviewed Mayor Jeff Krauss.

In an 8-minute video, Krauss talks about everything from his days working on the railroad to the value of scientific research.

Krauss, finance director at the Museum of the Rockies, says America needs to better encourage inventors.

Scientists used to come here from all over the world to do research because the United States gave them the freedom to study anything, Krauss said.

“It used to be if you were Thomas Edison, or you were a cutting-edge scientist, and you spent 23 hours a day in your laboratory being the mad scientist, trying to invent things – if you invented something, and you sold it, and you made a lot of money, we did not villify you,” Krauss said. “We did not consider you the 1 percent. We did not attack you because you made a lot of money on your invention. We said, ‘Your invention has improved all of our lives and of course you’re entitled to the money.'”

Now, America limits research on things like stem cells. Plus, “We send out this message that the earth is 6,000 years old,” Krauss said.

“Now, I don’t think this is the place you come to if you’re an inventor,” he said. “We’re sending out a message every day: ‘Here’s some science we don’t want you looking into and if you make a lot of money, we’re not going to like you. You’re going to be part of that evil 1 percent.’ And those two things are the antithesis of the message we should be sending out to the world: ‘Come here. Do all the research you want. Dream all the big dreams. Strike it rich and make us all better.'”

Montana hands out the fewest traffic tickets in the country, according to a study by carinsurancecomparison.com.

The study’s focus was on states with the worst drivers – Montana ranked No. 9.

But if you look at the fine print, the report notes that Montana issues the least citations in the nation, and has the most fatalities per million miles of road.

“Good news: Montana had the highest ranking in tickets!” the report says. “Bad news: they had the lowest ranking in fatalities, the second lowest in drunk driving, and pulled a nasty 40 on carelessness. Maybe they should start ticketing more. Montana drivers should start being safer or else their tickets will rise their car insurance.”